Now Commenting On:

No timetable for Wieters to resume throwing

5/7/14: Orioles catcher Matt Wieters talks about his elbow injury and possible return to the lineup

By Brittany Ghiroli
/
MLB.com |

BALTIMORE -- Orioles catcher Matt Wieters served as designated hitter again on Saturday and bench coach John Russell said there are no immediate plans for him to test his right elbow.

"Probably not the next couple of days," Russell said of when Wieters could try to throw. "It's tough to put an exact timeline on Matt because it is a different kind of scenario. He doesn't really feel pain, it's not loose, he can move it around, he doesn't feel much. He just doesn't feel like he has much on it the last couple games when he'd make a throw back to second."

Russell said it will depend on how Wieters feels along with input from the team's athletic trainers and they won't rush the process.

"I know if it was me, I'd want to make sure it's kind of OK, because you don't want to make that throw and get set back," he said.

"I was telling someone earlier that once we see Matt pick up a ball and go to the outfield and play catch, then we can kind of see what kind of timeline we have barring any setbacks. But right now, is it a week or two weeks? I can't really put anything on it and I don't think Matt can either. We're not going to rush it. I know that. We want him back, we want him catching. To try to get him back three or four days early and have a setback is not worth it. We need him for the long haul, and if it takes another two or three weeks, we're willing to wait."

Wieters, who was determined to not be a candidate for surgery after Wednesday's visit to Dr. James Andrews, has had no issues swinging. Without the Gold Glove Award winner, the O's have used Steve Clevenger and Caleb Joseph behind the plate.